Delgaco reuniting with rowing team

The Philippine rowing team can’t wait to have Olympian Joanie Delgaco back in the team after her basic training with the Philippine Navy.

National team head coach Ed Maerina told DAILY TRIBUNE that Delgaco, who participated in the Paris Olympic Games last year, will be back next month and will rejoin the rest of the team.

The Filipino rowers are currently in Slovenia as part of their European training camp.

“She will be finished with her military training this June, so we expect her to join us again by July,” Maerina said in a phone conversation.

“She was only running there as her form of exercise. Her skills went down a bit.”

“We had to send a rowing machine to her camp so that she could continue her training.”

After Slovenia, the Filipino rowers will be in Wetzlar, Germany from 22 to 27 June for their recovery period before competing in the Netherlands for the Regatta Amsterdam from 27 to 29 June.

Delcago’s return to the national team will boost their morale as they gun for gold medals in the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games from 9 to 20 December in Thailand.

She and Tokyo Olympics rower Cris Nievarez are expected to lead the charge once they compete in the biennial meet.

The Philippines looks to improve from its medal tally in the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam in 2022 after clinching two silvers and six bronze medals.